Principal's Desk
Our Theme for Term 4
Parents, please encourage your children to "FINISH STRONG".
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
World Teachers’ Day – Friday 31 October 2025
Hats Off to All Who Teach
At St Joseph’s Catholic Parish School, we will join schools across Australia in celebrating World Teachers’ Day on Friday 31 October. This day is a special opportunity to honour the dedication, skill, and heart of our teachers, those who guide, inspire, and walk alongside our students every day.
Teaching is a vocation that reaches far beyond the classroom. It is a ministry of presence, patience, and hope. Our teachers nurture curiosity, build resilience, and help shape the character of our future adults. Their work is both deeply personal and profoundly communal.
Yet we also recognise that teachers are not the first educators of children. That sacred role belongs to parents and caregivers, whose love and example lay the foundation for all learning. The partnership between home and school is essential. It is in this shared space—where family and teacher meet—that true education takes root and flourishes.
This year’s theme, “Hats Off to Teachers,” invites us to show our appreciation in a simple but meaningful way. The phrase “hats off” has long been used to express respect and admiration, tracing back to medieval times when knights removed their helmets to honour others. On World Teachers’ Day, we invite students, staff, and families to wear a hat as a symbol of gratitude, not just for our teachers, but for all who contribute to the education and formation of our young people.
Staff at St Joseph’s will also gather for a shared morning tea to celebrate the joy and privilege of working together in this mission.
To all who teach, whether in homes, classrooms, or communities, hats off to you. May God bless your efforts, renew your strength, and continue to guide your hearts in this sacred work.
Staff Book Spotlight
Quiet - Listening to the Quiet Voices Within and Around Us
by Susan Cain
Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking is a compelling exploration of how society often undervalues introversion, favouring extroverted traits like assertiveness, sociability, and quick decision-making. Cain challenges this bias by revealing the quiet strength, creativity, and depth that introverts bring to relationships, workplaces, and classrooms. Through research, storytelling, and personal insight, she invites us to reconsider what leadership, participation, and success truly look like.
For us as educators (parents), Quiet offers a powerful reminder: not all gifts are loud. Some of the most thoughtful, observant, and empathetic contributions come from those who speak less but think deeply. In a world that often rewards visibility and vocal leadership, Cain’s work encourages us to make space for reflection, to listen more attentively, and to honour the quieter voices among us, including our own.
When considering the needs of our children, Quiet urges us to guide them not toward conformity, but toward authenticity. Some children thrive in the spotlight; others flourish in solitude and thoughtful engagement. Our role is to help each child discover and honour their own way of being in the world. This means creating learning environments that value silence as much as speech, depth as much as speed, and listening as much as leading.
Am I making space for quiet growth?
Am I honouring the full spectrum of gifts in myself and others?
